Electromagnetic printing counter



April 26, 1938. B. COOPER ELECTROMAGNETIC PRINTING COUNTER Filed April 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 co no VP m:

ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. COOPER ELECTROMAGNETIC PRINTING COUNTER Filed April 6, 19252 April 26, 1938.

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INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1938' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,115,410 ELECTROMAGNETIC PRINTING COUNTER Benialnin Cooper, New York, N. Y. 9 Application April 6, 1932, Serial No. 603,493

11 Claims.

This invention relates to electro-magnetic printing counter devices and the like devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a printing counter of the character described which is so arranged and constructed as to permit operation thereof at a relatively high rate of speed and which shall yet be compact and comprise relatively few parts. I

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, improved means for effectively printing the indicia on the separate wheels of the counter, substantially evenly and without retarding rotation of said wheels whereby the speed of operation of the counter is greatly enhanced.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a neat, compact and rugged electro-mag-- ufacture, simple, positive and smooth in opera tion, easy to assemble, and yet practical and efficlent to a high degree in use.

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Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated-in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front, elevational view of a printing counter device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the counter shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the counter.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I0 designates a printing counter device embodying the invention and comprising an angular support II having a bottom wall I2 and an upwardly extending rear wall I3 integrally formed therewith. Fixed to or integrally formed with the upper portion of said rear wall I 3, is a transverse forwardly extending wall I5 on which there is mounted my improved electro-magnetic counter unit I6, described in detail hereinafter.

The unit I6 comprises a frame member II having a vertical wall I8 lying against and fixed to said wall [5, a bottom horizontal wall I9 extending away from said wall I5, and a pair of spaced downto rear wall I3. Fixed to said wall I8 is a member 22 having a wall 22a lying against and fixed to said wall I8, a pair of spaced, parallel, vertical ears 23, 23a projecting away from said wall I8, and a fiat bottom wall 24 parallel to and spaced slightly above said bottom wall I 9. Interconnecting the outer ends of said ears is a shaft 25 on which is mounted an angle shaped part 26 having a wall 21 parallel to and spaced from said wall 22a, and a bottom wall 28 interposed between and contacting said walls 24 and I9. The wall I9 may be attached to saidwall 28 in any suitable manner to prevent movement of said part 26. Mounted between the parallel walls 21 and 22a and on top of the wall 24 is a vertical electromagnet 25a of usual construction, having a fixed central core 29 and a coil 30 thereabout. Mom ber 22 and part 26 are preferably made of iron or the like electro-magnetic material to provide a good path for the lines of electro-magnetic force whereby a highly efiicient quick acting magnet is produced.

Interconnecting the downwardly extending parallel ears and 2| is a shaft 32 adjacent one end of which there is fixed a ratchet wheel 33. Mounted on said shaft there is also a plurality of cooperating counter wheels 35 of usual construction, each preferably provided with the ten digits marked on the periphery thereof, and said wheels being so arranged that a complete revolution of the first wheel will cause 1% of a revolution of the next adjacent wheel, and so on. This part of the 1 device may be of any well known suitable construction.

The digits are preferably adapted for printing purposes as will hereinafter appear. Pivoted to the shaft 25 is a member 31 for actuating the counter wheels, in the form of a bell crank having a plate portion38 overlying and slightly spaced from the top of the core 29 of the electro-magnet, and an integral downwardly extending arm 39.

It will be noted that the electro-magnet 25a is disposed between the pivot shaft 25 and the wall III of the frame I1 and that the plate portion 38 extends from said shaft toward the wall I8 or the opposite side of the magnet and that the arm 39 extends normally substantially straight down from the pivot 25. When the elctro-magnet 25a is energized, the plate portion 38 is attracted to the core of the magnet and the bell crank 3! is pivotally moved in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Means is provided for returning the bell crank to its normal position when the electro-ma net 25a becomes deenergized. To this end, there is fixed to said arm 39 of said bell crank 31, one end of a tension spring 42 which interconnects said arm with said wall l8 of the frame. It will now be understood that when the electro-magnet 25a becomes de-energized, the spring 42 will pull the bell crank in a counter-clockwise direction. For the purpose hereinafter appearing, there is pivoted to the lower portion of the arm 39 of said bell crank 31, a pawl 46 adapted to coact with the teeth of the ratchet 33. A finger 41 may be fixed to said pawl 46 and a small'coil tension spring 46 interconnecting the finger 41 with the lower end 49 of said arm 39, serves to normally retain the pawl 46 in engagement with the teeth of said ratchet 33. Thus, when the magnet 25a. is energized, the arm 39 is moved in a clockwise direction and the' pawl 46 slips into engagement energized and deenerglzed. Said ratchet may be fixed for rotation with the first of the counter wheels 35. A pawl 42a pivoted to arm 2| serves to prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel in a counter-clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 4. Said electro-magnet 25a may be actuated in any suitable manner, for example, by a switch closing for an extremely short period of time, for example, 1/1000 of asecond, and in rapid succession and forming part of any suitable relay circuit and having an interrupter switch 5|, 52 for the magnet 25a. which isdescribed hereinafter may be actuated by the arm 39 of the actuating bell crank 31. To this end, the switch arm 5| may be mounted on an insulating block 5|a fixed to said wall 21 and the second switch arm 52 fixed to said block and normally contacting the switch arm 5|. An insulated finger 53 however, fixed to arm 39 of the bell crank, may contact the outer end of the arm 52 to move the switch arms 5| and 52 out of contact when the magnet 25a is energized.

It will be noted that the electro-magnetic counter unit described above is highly compact and rugged in construction and adapted for actuation at a high rate of speed. The same is useful for operating the printing counter at a high rate of speed, for example, in a system of indicating the number .of vehicles passing a point in a road. Furthermore, the long arm 39 of the bell crank 31 in the arrangement disclosed, is adapted for effectively actuating the relatively heavier printing counter wheels.

Means, is provided for printing on a suitable medium the number indicated on the counter wheels 35. For this purpose, the numbers showing at the bottom of the wheels will be printed. The printing may be done on paper or the like sheet materialfed from a roll 60 mounted on a pin 6| fixed to the rear wall l3. The paper may pass beneath a roller 62 rotatably mounted on a sleeve 62a which is in turn rotatably mounted on a shaft 63 fixed to rear wall l3. The roller 62 is preferably formed with a knurled outer surface 64 and may be turned a definite angle for each printing operation, as described in detail hereinafter. A plate 65 pivoted atone end thereof to a pin 65a fixed to and projecting from said rear wall It, nests adjacent the outer end rollers 10, 1|.

thereof on'said roll 60 to frictionally prevent the same from free rotation on pin 6|.

Attached to a lug 66 preferably integrally formed with the rear wall I3, is an arm 61 carrying an idler roller 68 adapted to press the paper from the roll 60 against the roller 62. The paper may pass over a platform or shelf 69 fixed to the rear wall I3 and disposed adjacent the lower side of the wheels 35.

For the purpose hereinafter appearing, there is mounted on said platform 69, a pair of horizontally aligned rollers 10 and II. There is also fixed to a stanchion l2 projecting upwardly from the bottom wall I2, a shaft 13 on which there is rotatably mounted a wheel 14 aligned with said A continuous strip or belt 15 such as a carbon strip, or other strip carrying a printing medium, extends around the wheel 14 and the rollers 10 and I the upper horizontal portion of said strip being disposed between the counter wheels and the paper strip.

For printing the number designated on the counter wheels on the paper strip, there is fixed to the lug 66 a plurality of spaced, downwardly extending walls 18 carrying a pivot pin 19. Pivotally mounted on said pin 19 are a plurality of similar parallel spaced printing hammers 80, each having a head 8| adapted to strike one of the counter wheels. There are preferably as many hammers as counter wheels and each hammer causes the printing separately of the number at the bottom of one of the. counter wheels. The hammers are not interconnected for movement together as a unit, but are free for individual movement. Thus should one wheel be turned a small angle beyond the other wheels, the hammer striking said wheel will not cause defective printing on the other wheels.

Means is provided for actuating the hammers to cause the printing on the paper strip. To this end, a solenoid of any suitable construction may be mounted on lugs 86 extending from the rear wall I3. The solenoid may be actuated by closing any suitable switch, for example, a button switch which may be pushed Whenever it is desired to cause a printing operation. The solenoid may be provided with a downwardly extending armature .rod 81 to the lower end of which there is pivoted a link 88 having the outer end thereof pivoted to a pin 89 fixed to the wall l3. There is further provided a lever 90 pivoted in any suitable manner to a pin 9| fixed to the wall l3, said lever having an arm 92 interconnected to the lower end of the armature rod 81 by a link 93.

Pivoted to a pin 96 fixed to said wall I3, is a bell crank provided with an arm 91 interconnected by a link 98 to the other arm 99 of said lever 90. Said bell crank 95 is provided with an arm I00 having an end portion |0| adapted to contact all of said hammers 80.

It will now be seen that when the solenoid is energized, and the arm 81 attracted upwardly,

the lever 90 will be pivoted about the pin 9| in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 1, thus causing the bell crank 95 to be rotated in a clockwise direction. Such movement of the bell crank 95 will cause the hammers to be swung upwardly for pressing the paper against the carbon strip which in turn is pressed against the lower row of numbers on the counter wheels to cause said numbers to be printed on the paperstrip. Where a single hammer is used of sufficient width to cause printing of all of the wheels, should one of the wheels be out of alignment with the other printing of all of the numbers may be caused ation, the hammers will be moved by inertiasomewhat out of contact with said portion IOI of the bellcrank. The arrangement is such that after a printing pperation and before the solenoid switch is opened, the heads III of the hammers will fall back on and rest on said portion IOI and be somewhat out of contact with respect to the paper strip, so that should the switch for the electro-magnet 25a be closed while the solenoid switch is closed, rotation of the counter wheels will be permitted without interference. A stop lug I02 fixed to the member 12 in any suitable manner, may limit the downward movement of the hammers.

A link I03 interconnects arm I of bell crank 95, with the sleeve 62a which preferably has a one way ball clutch connection 63a with said roller 62, so that the roller 62 may be moved through a designated angle for each printing operation. Preferably, the wheel 62 is turned to feed the paper strip as the hammers come down after a printing operation is finished.

Means is provided for feeding the carbon strip I5 a predetermined amount for each printing operation. To this end, there is fixed to the wheel I4, a ratchet IIO having teeth cooperating with a pawl III fixed to a' member II2. Said ,I II to slip to a succeeding tooth on the ratchet wheel. When the solenoid switch is opened, the bell crank 95 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and rotate lever H3 in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 1. 'I'his act on will release member I IT A tension spring I I6 attached at the lower end to arm I I2a of said member H2 and at the upper end thereof to said shelf 69, serves to swing said member H2 in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 2, when said member is released by lever I I3, to rotate ratchet H0 and wheel 14 and advance the carbon belt I5.

The carbon strip or belt I5 may pass around a roller I20 mounted on a pin fixed to a support I 2I extending downwardly from the shelf 69, and may be kept taut by means of a member I 22 pivoted as at I23 to said support I'2I, and having a pin I24 at the outer end thereof contacting said carbon strip. Aspring I25 attached tosaid member I22 and contacting rear wall I 3. serves to press the pin into friction-a1 engagement with the carbon strip for keeping the same in taut condition.

An insulating panel I 33 may be attached to the rear wall I3, and mounted on said panel are a pair of terminals I34 connected by wires I35 to opposite sides of the solenoid coil 05. The terminals I34 may be connected to any suitable source of electricity and suitable switch, such as a push button switch, so that upon closing saidswitch, the solenoid will be energized.

Mounted on said panel I33 are a second pair of :terminals I36 connected by wires I31 to the terminals I38 of the coil 30. The terminals I 36 may form part of a usual locking relay circuit. Another pair of terminals I39, also mounted on said panel I33, may be interconnected by wires I40 to binding posts I4I and I42 connected to the switch arms 5|, 52, respectively. Said terminals I39 and wires I40 may likewise form part of the locking relay circuit. The circuit may be of usual design and so constructed that the magnet 25a will be energized upon closing of a switch adapted to be momentarily closed.

The locking relay circuit will retain the magnet 25a energized for a small period of time to rotate bell crank 31, and the magnet will thereafter become automatically deenergized by the opening of the switch 5I, 52, to permit spring 42 to rotate said bell crank in an opposite direction to actuate the counter. Thus, although the switch may close for one thousandth of a second, the electromagnet 25a may be energized and deenergized about fifty times per second for actuating the printing counter. The wheels of the counter unit will thus indicate the number of times the switch has been closed. Should it be desired at any time to record the number indicated on the counter wheels, from which the number of wheels may be computed, a push button switch is closed for energizing the solenoid 85 which lifts the armature 81 and rotates the lever 90 in a clockwise direction. This movement will rotate the bell crank 95 in a. clockwise direction for pushing the hammers 80 upwardly and pressing the paper strip and carbon strip against the numbers indicated at the bottom of the counter wheels 35. Simultaneously,

he link I03 rotates sleeve 62a. in a clockwise direction without affecting roller 62, and lever II4 rotates member H2 in acounter-clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 2. Upon releasing the push button switch, the solenoid 85 will be deenergized, the member 81 will move downwardly for causing rotation of the lever 90 and bell crank 95 in a counter-clockwise direction, thus permitting the hammers 80 to drop. Simultaneously, the knurled roller 62 will be rotated by rotation of sleeve 62a in a counter-clockwise direction, to feed the paper strip, and the ratchet wheel II 0 will be rotated by action of spring II6 for turning the wheel I4 and feeding the carbon strip a predetermined distance. To obtain a number of printings, the push button switch need merely be depressed a number of times.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame havinga wall, a second wall extending at right angles to the first wall, a shaft on said frame disposed parallel to said walls and below said second wall, a ratchet on said shaft, a member fixed to said frame having a wall parallel and adjacent to said first wall of the frame and a wall parallel and adjacent to and above the second wall of said frame, an electro-magnet mounted on said second wall of said member and disposed parallel and adjacent to said first wall'of said member, a pair of parallel arms extending from said first wall of said member and disposed on opposite sides of and adjacent the upper end of said electro-magnet, a second shaft interconnecting said arms disposed parallel to said first shaft, said electro-magnet being disposed between said second shaft and said first wall of said member, a bell crank pivoted on said second shaft and having an armature arm overlying the free end of said electro-magnet and a second arm disposed substantially parallel to said electro-magnet, and means on said second arm of said bell crank for actuating said ratchet.

2. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame having a wall, a second Wall extending at right angles to the first wall, a shaft on said frame disposed parallel to said walls and below said second wall, a ratchet on said shaft, a member fixed to said frame having a wall parallel and adjacent to said first wall of the frame and a wall parallel and adjacent to and above the second wall of said frame, an electro-magnet mounted on said second wall of said member and disposed parallel and adjacent to said first wall of said member, a pair of parallel arms extending from said first wall of said member and disposed on opposite sides of and adjacent the upper end of said electro-magnet, a second shaft interconnecting said arms disposed parallel to said first shaft, said electro-magnet being disposed between said second shaft and said first wall of said member, a bell crank pivoted on said second shaft and having an armature arm overlying the free end of said electro-magnet and a second arm disposed substantially parallel to said electro-magnet,

means on said second arm of said bell crank for actuating said ratchet, and a part attached to said member having a portion parallel to the first wall of said member and engaging said second shaft.

3. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame, a shaft on said frame, a ratchet on said shaft, a U-shaped member supported by said frame and having a pair of parallel walls and a wall perpendicular to said parallel walls, an electro-magnet disposed parallel to and between said parallel walls and having one end thereof adjacent the other wall of said member, a second shaft, means on one of said parallel walls for supporting said second shaft adjacent the opposite end of said electro-magnet, the other of said parallel walls engaging said second shaft, a bell crank pivoted to said second shaft and having an armature arm overlying said opposite end of said electro-magnet said bell crank having another arm, and means thereon for actuating said ratchet.

4. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame, a shaft supported by said frame, a ratchet on said shaft, a member attached to said frame and having a pair of parallel walls and a wall interconnecting said parallel walls, an electromagnet disposed between the parallel walls of said member and having one end thereof disposed adjacent said interconnecting wall of said member, one of said parallel walls having a pair of parallel arms extending toward the other of said parallel walls and disposed adjacent the other end of said electro-magnet, a second shaft supported by said pair of arms and parallel to the first shaft, said other of said pair of parallel walls engaging said second shaft, a bell crank pivoted to said second shaft and having a portion overlying said other end of said electro-magnet, and a second arm substantially parallel to said electro-magnet, and means on said second arm for actuating said ratchet.

5. A unitary electro-magnetic counter adapted to be mounted as a unit on a machine and comprising a frame having a. wall, a/second wall parallel to the first wall and a pair of ears perpendicular to said first wall and second wall, a shaft on said ears parallel to said first and second .walls, a ratchet on said shaft, a plurality of counter wheels on said shaft operatively connected to said ratchet wheel and disposed between said ears, a member attached to said frame having a wall parallel and adjacent to the first wall of said frame and a second wall parallel and adjacent to the second wall of said frame, said first wall of said member being formed with a pair of ears, a second shaft carried by said last mentioned ears and being parallel to said first shaft, a part on said member having a portion parallel to said first wall of said member and engaging said second shaft, an electro-magnet mounted over said second wall of said member and disposed between the first wall of said member and said portion of said part, a crank arm pivoted on said "second shaft and having an armature arm disposed above said electro-magnet, and an arm substantially parallel to said electro-magnet, and means on said arm for actuating said ratchet to operate said counter wheels.

6. A unitary electro-magnetic counter adapted to be mounted as a unit on a machine and comprising a frame having a wall, a second wall parallel to the first wall and a pair of ears perpendicular to said first wall and second wall, a shaft on said ears parallel to said first and second walls, a ratchet on said shaft, a plurality .of counter wheels on said shaft operatively connected to said ratchet wheel and disposed between said ears, a member attached to said frame having a wall parallel and adjacent to the first wall of said frame and a. second wall parallel and adjace'nt to the second wall of said frame, said first wall of said member being formed with a pair of ears, a second shaft carried by said last mentioned ears and being parallel to said first shaft,

a part on said member having a portion parallel to said first wall of said member and engaging said second shaft, an electro-magnet mounted over said second wall of said member and disposed .between the first wall of said member and said portion of said part, a crank arm pivoted on said second shaft and having an armature arm disposed above said electro-magnet, and an arm substantially parallel to said electro-magnet, means on said arm for actuating said ratchet to operate said counter wheels,'an insulating block mounted on said part, a pair of spring contacts on said block, and means on said second arm of said bell crank for moving one contact relative to the other. I

7. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a fram having a wall, a second wall extending at right angles thereto, said frame having a pair of parallel spaced arms disposed in planes perpendicular to said first and second walls, a shaft interconnecting said arms, said shaft being parallel to said first and second walls, a ratchet Wheel on said shaft, a member having a wall parallel and adjacent the first wall of the frame, and a second wall overlying the second wall of the frame, and a third wall parallel to and spaced from the first wall of said member, an electro-magnet disposed between and parallel to the first and third walls of said member, the lower end of said electro-magnet being disposed adjacent the second wall of said member, a pair of ears at the upper end of said first wall of said member extending toward the third wall of said member and disposed adjacent the upper end of said electromagnet and on opposite sides of said electromagnet, a second shaft interconnecting said ears disposed parallel to said first shaft, said third wall engaging said second shaft, and a member pivoted on said second shaft having an armature arm overlying the upper end of said electromagnet, and means on said pivotedmember for actuating said ratchet.

8. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame having a vertical wall and a horizontal wall and a pair of ears below said horizontal wall, a shaft on said ears disposed below said horizontal wall and parallel to said horizontal and vertical walls, a ratchet on said shaft, a member supported by said frame having a vertical wall parallel to said vertical wall of the frame, and a horizontal wall parallel to anddisposed above the horizontal wall of said frame, and anothervertical wall parallel to and spaced from the first vertical wall of said member, a vertical electro-magnet disposed between and parallel to said vertical walls of said member, the lower end of said electro-magnet being disposed adjacent to and above the horizontal wall of said member, a pair of parallel ears extending from the upper end of said first vertical wall of said member toward the other vertical wall of said member and disposed adjacent the upper end of said electro-magnet and on opposite sides of said electro-magnet, a second shaft supported by said arms, the upper end of said electro-magnet being disposed between said second shaft and the first vertical wall of said member, the other vertical wall of said member engaging said shaft, a bell crank pivoted on said shaft and having an armature arm overlying the upper end of said electro-magnet and a second arm substantially parallel to said electro-magnet and extending below the horizontal wall of said frame, and means at the lower end of said arm for actuating said ratchet.

' 9. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame having a vertical wall and a horizontal wall and a pair of ears below said horizontal wall, a shaft on said ears disposed below said horizontal wall and parallel to said horizontal and vertical walls, a ratchet on said shaft, a member supported by said frame having a vertical wall parallel to said vertical wall of the frame, and a horizontal wall parallel to and disposed above the horizontal wall of said frame, and another vertical wall parallel to and spaced from the first vertical wall of said member, a vertical electro-magnet disposed between and parallel to said vertical walls of said member, the lower end of said electro-magnet being disposed adjacent to and above the horizontal wall of said member, a pair of parallel ears extending from the upper end of said first vertical wall ofv said member toward the other vertical wall of said member and disposed adjacent the upper end of said electromagnet and on opposite sides of said electromagnet, a second shaft supported by said arms, the upper end of said electro-magnet being disposed between said second shaft and the first vertical wall of said member, the other vertical wall of said member engaging said shaft, a bell crank. pivoted on said shaft and having an armature arm overlying the upper end of said electro-magnet and a second arm substantially parallel to said electro-magnet and extending below the horizontal wall of said frame, means at the lower end of said arm for actuating said ratchet, an insulating block on said member, a pair of spring contacts on said block, and means on the second arm of said bell crank for moving one of said contacts relative to the other.

10. An electro-magnetic unit comprising a frame supporting a shaft, a ratchet thereon, a member mounted on said frame and having a pair of parallel walls and a wall connecting the same, an electro-magnet mounted on said member between said parallel walls with one end adjacent the connecting wall, means adjacent the other end of said electro-magnet extending from one of said parallel walls toward the other of said parallel walls supporting a shaft, said other of said parallel walls engaging said shaft, and a member pivoted on said shaft having an armature, and means on said pivoted member for actuating said ratchet.

11. In an electro-magnetic unit, a member having a bottom wall and a pair of parallel walls extending upwardly therefrom, an electro-magnet mounted on said bottom wall and between said parallel walls and extending longitudinally thereof, a pair of parallel arms on one of said parallel walls extending toward the other of said parallel walls and disposed adjacent the upper end of said electro-magnet and on opposite sides thereof, a shaft carried by said arms, the upper end of said electro-magnet being disposed between said shaft and said one of said parallel walls, the other of said parallel walls engaging said shaft, and a member pivoted on said shaft and having an armature arm disposed above the upper end of said electro-magnet.

BENJAMIN COOPER. 

